


Connect the Dots

by Musetotheworld



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2016-10-24
Packaged: 2018-08-24 10:33:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8368966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musetotheworld/pseuds/Musetotheworld
Summary: Cat is very good at anticipating people. Kara continues to surprise her.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I swear I'm working on December, the bext chapter is probably half written by now. But I can write other things on my phone at work (if my boss is reading this that's totally not what happened), so little one shots might pop up more frequently than that. Like this one! Written, edited, and posted from my phone, so if there are any mistakes feel free to point them out, otherwise I'll probably find them in a day or so and facepalm before fixing them.

The call comes exactly on schedule, and Cat smirks as it does. She still has her gift of reading people, of understanding how they'll react. She'd known exactly how long it would take Kara to connect the dots, to see the bigger picture behind her actions. She's even fairly certain she knows what Kara has to say about it.

So instead of letting her former assistant launch in, Cat cuts her off before she has a chance. "No, Kara, I cannot get him to give you a chair."

"I- no, that's, that's not why I called, Miss Grant," Kara stutters out, and Cat is grateful the younger woman isn't there to see the grin of delight that spreads across her face from the sheer joy of rattling her assistant so easily. "I, um, I actually wanted to say thank you."

"You earned this, Kara. And you stood up for yourself to get it. I can't take credit for that." As much as Cat loves well deserved recognition, this is Kara's moment. She deserves to have it.

"I meant for the office. You knew what I should pick, what you all but pushed me into picking. And the reporters have their headquarters three floors down. But you still gave me that office." There's both question and wonder in Kara's voice, and for once she's managed to throw Cat. The thanks she'd been expecting, the girl thanks her as often as she apologizes, but to see that there might have been something more behind her actions is a new development for them. Or at least Kara calling her out on it is.

"It suited the reveal," Cat tries to play it off, the last time she'd seen Kara had made it clear she wasn't yet trusted with the truth of her identity, so half the reasons for giving her the office have to remain unspoken. And Cat has accepted that fact, because she hasn't earned that part of Kara's trust yet. She has the trust and belief of Kara Danvers, and the trust and belief of Supergirl, but not of the woman behind those masks.

It does mean that she's running very thin on reasonable excuses for her actions though. Between not admitting that she knows the truth about Kara's identity and not admitting the far more secret truth about her own feelings for the girl, the only thing she really has left is the desire she'd had to make a scene. To prove a point. Not exactly the most convincing of arguments.

"You knew Snapper wouldn't like me, would try to push me out, didn't you?" Kara asks, though Cat knows she's already figured out the answer. "That's how you knew he didn't give me a chair, you already knew he wouldn't. Before you even introduced us."

"Snapper Carr is a talented journalist who can teach you a great deal about what it means to be a reporter, if you're clever enough to learn. But he's also predictable in his misanthropy and general dislike of anyone who doesn't fit his mold," Cat says dismissively, trying to get the conversation back to safer ground. Insulting Snapper is just a perk. "He and I have disagreed before, so I knew the chances of him warming to you were slim when I was the one to place you on his team."

"Then why give me that position?" Kara asks, confusion clear in her voice. "You own dozens of media outlets, both print and digital. At least 5 in National City alone. This isn't the only place I could have gone."

"It's the one that will push you," Cat admits, unable to resist the urge to reassure Kara, to drive the note of uncertainty out of her voice. "The one that will take you out of your comfort zone and make you the best version of yourself, to borrow your words. Yes, I could have put you on an easier team. But then you wouldn't have stood up for yourself the way you did to Snapper."

Kara laughs at that, a short chuckle that draws a smile from Cat in response. She wishes Kara were here in person for this conversation, but at the same time she's glad for the distance. It keeps her from being too transparent, giving too much away. She'd come too close to that already, saying her goodbyes.

"I didn't exactly wow him with my insults," Kara admits, and Cat laughs as she remembers the report she'd gotten from one of the reporters she'd asked to quietly keep an eye on Kara's work. "Yours always sound so much better."

"Yes, but when you refuse to use any but the most basic of curses and those only in dire situations, insults do tend to be a bit lacking in punch. Not to mention the fact that you lack the personality trait to really land them. Righteous anger is all well and good for some things, but a good insult needs a splash of vindictive rage." Cat remembers the one time Kara had truly insulted her, the one time that rage had shown through, and has to silently admit that she much prefers the sunny optimism of Kara Danvers to the darkness that had shown through that night. She may shake her head at how unfailingly upbeat Kara always seems to be, but there's no denying the world is a better place for all that cheer.

"CatCo isn't the same without your insults flying around," Kara says softly, and Cat hears everything Kara doesn't say. Kara misses her, as much as Cat already misses the younger woman in return.

"Then I'll email you audio clips every day so that you can play them through the PA system. Keep my reign of terror intact until I get back." She shouldn't be doing this, shouldn't be adding tethers to CatCo when she's trying to step away and find new waters, but she can't let go of Kara. She's not sure how she ever thought she could.

It's Kara's turn to laugh, short and far more emotional than Cat thinks is fair after such a short conversation. "If you throw in a few about my new boss, I know a guy who can make that happen."

"It still wouldn't get you a chair," Cat points out, trying to push her own rising emotions away, feeling a tightness in her throat as she's only half successful.

"But I don't need one when I have an office," Kara points out. "Just like I don't need Snapper to believe in me when I know you do." The sincerity in Kara's voice is Cat's undoing, and before she can force it back she lets out a small gasp as she fights to keep her breathing steady.

"Hold on to that," Cat whispers, giving up on holding back. "Hold on to it until you believe in yourself enough that you don't need me."

"I'll always need you," Kara admits, voice so quiet Cat nearly can't hear her. "So don't stay away too long, okay? Come back and visit, at least."

"I'll be back," Cat promises again, wanting Kara to believe her this time.

"Good."


End file.
